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The Russian Cultural Ministry has been promoting Russian poets and below is a video and translation of a poem by Youri Levitansky regarding the Great Patriotic War, or WWII.
So what if I was there…
I stayed a long time, I forgot everything.
Can’t remember neither day nor date.
The stream takes everything away.
(I am an unidentified soldier.
Troop soldier. Lambda soldier.
I am the one struck by lost bullets.
I am the bloody ice of January.
I am stiff incrusted into this ice-
In it, as a fly into amber.)
So what if I was there…
I was out of everything. I forget everything.
I can’t remember neither date nor day,
Nor can I put names upon.
A Short, Powerful Poem By Marina Tsvetaeva, Major Russian Poet Of 20th Century
(I am the gallop of hard ridden horses.
I am hoarse shouting when running.
I am what the bullet missed.
I am the battle at a distant border.
I am the flame of eternal fire-
And the flame of cartridges on the shelter.)
So what if I was there…
Terrible state to be or not to be.
All this I almost forgot.
All this I want to forget.
I am not involved in the war-
She takes part in me.
And the gleam of eternal fire
Trembles on my cheekbones.
A Poem For Olga, Tatiana, Maria, Anastasia
(I can’t be excluded
From these years, from that war.
I can’t be cured
From that winter, from those snows.
Out of that earth, out of that winter
I can’t be distinguished,
Even before out of those snows, you can’t
discern my tracks.)
So what if I was there?
